They say never trust a man in a suit selling ice cream on a snowy day. The same might go for viral TikToks asking for donations with a puppy and a sob story.
In this publication, we're uncovering a scam that has been making waves and could potentially affect you or someone you know. Let’s dive right in.
Scammers are using emotional TikTok videos—featuring adorable animals or people in crisis—to impersonate charities and trick users into donating money.
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has issued a public warning as more people, especially younger users, are getting swindled by donation scams on social media platforms, with TikTok being a hotbed of recent activity.
How It Works:
• A scammer creates or shares a heart-tugging video of a sick animal, an injured child, or someone in financial distress.
• They pose as a nonprofit or charity, often with a fake name or cloned branding from a real organization.
• They include emotional captions and links or requests for donations via Cash App, Venmo, or other direct payment methods.
• Some even request banking details under the guise of “setting up a recurring donation.”
Who’s Targeted:
- TikTok users, especially ages 18–30
- People who are empathetic, charitable, or moved by emotional content
- Anyone who regularly donates online without verifying sources
As Khesha Duncan of the BBB noted, “People of all ages are falling for this, but we’re seeing a lot of younger users caught up in these scams.”
Real-Life Example:
While Duncan didn’t cite a specific victim, she pointed out the surge in TikTok videos that play on emotions to extract money. Whether it's a video of an abandoned puppy or a disaster survivor, the goal is the same—bypass your brain and reach your wallet.
Her advice? “If you want to help, do it in your own community or contact the organization directly. Don’t just send money to a Cash App account from a random video.”
Why You Should Care:
These scams don’t just hurt your bank account—they prey on your good intentions. Not only do you risk losing money, but you’re also likely funding criminal operations that steal from others, too.
Worse still, you may become a target for identity theft if you provide bank account or routing numbers. If someone asks for these over the phone or online—hang up immediately.
How to Protect Yourself:
- Verify before you give. Look up the organization on BBB.org or CharityNavigator.org.
- Don’t donate through direct messages or personal payment apps. Use secure, official websites.
- Avoid pressure. Scammers use urgency—“Donate NOW or they’ll die!”—to rush your decision-making.
- Keep your info private. Never give out your account, routing, or card numbers via social media.
- Report suspicious campaigns. If it feels off, trust your gut and flag it on the platform.
Quick Tips & Updates
Quick Tip: “A real charity won’t pressure you to give immediately or ask for money through personal apps like Zelle or Cash App.”
Pro Tip: Use Google Reverse Image Search to check if a sad photo or video has been reused in other scams—it often has.
Stay safe, stay informed.
Keyword Definitions:
- Donation Scam: A fraudulent scheme in which a scammer pretends to collect money for a charitable cause but keeps it for personal gain.
- Emotional Manipulation: Using fear, sympathy, or urgency to bypass critical thinking and get a victim to act quickly.
- Cash App/Venmo/Zelle Scams: Using peer-to-peer payment apps to receive money in ways that are hard to trace or recover.
- Identity Theft: The act of stealing someone’s personal or financial information to commit fraud or theft.
- BBB (Better Business Bureau): A nonprofit organization that helps consumers identify trustworthy businesses and avoid scams.
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